Agents Of The Inquisition
by shadowsilv3r
Summary: (Dragon age Inquisition Multiplayer Fanfic) follow the Agents of the Inquisition as they work to further the organization's cause. Features reader submitted OC's. Rated T for now, but rating might and will most definitely change in the future.
1. Prologue

**With the announcement of Dragon Age Inquisition Multiplayer, I decided to create an OC driven story about these agents of the inquisition in the similar manner to iBayne's Mass Effect multiplayer fanfic, Galaxy at War. So this well is to be sustained by character submissions from the viewers, so if you have an OC in mind, please say so in the reviews or PM me while fulfilling the following Character requirements:**

**Name:**

**Race:**

**Gender:**

**Class:**

**Specilization:**

**Nationality:**

**Former occupation: (Before joining the inquisition)**

**Age:**

**Sexuality:**

**Notable traits:**

**Veiwpoints:**

**Personality:**

**Origin:**

**Agents of the Inquisition**

_Skyhold Fortress_

"So what do you think the inquisitor wants with us?" Collins asked the mercenary with the half burnt face that sat next to him on a set of crates in a disused room of Skyhold, the headquarters of the Inquisition. The fortress was still in need of repairs from centuries of degradation and this room made it evident. The stone bricks are weatherworn and the roof was held up by wooden support beams. There was also a termite eaten long table in the center of the room and only two entrances allowed entrance to the room, each on opposite ends.

"Hell if I know," The mercenary replied absently, his attention focused on the sword in his hands as he ran an oilstone along the blade. Collins turned his attention to the rest of the few dozen individuals in the room, most where fairly generic in appearance, but a few stood out, such as a dwarf with a giant battle axe, a lithe female elf, and was that a Qunari?

"Osmond,"

"What?" Collins asked as the battle scarred mercenary got his attention.

"M'names Osmond, figured ya might wanna know," The mercenary apparently named Osmond elaborated; still focusing on his sword.

"My name's Collins," the young lad responded as he held out his hand. Just when he thought that Osmond wasn't going to reply in kind, the mercenary gripped his hand and shook it.

"What's ya story, kid," Osmond questioned, finally drawing his attention away from his sword and looked Collins with his one eye.

"Nothing special, just a third son of a minor Fereldan Bann, off for adventure, figure fighting demons would be more exciting then what my father had planned for me," Collins admitted truthfully. Osmond simply chuckled, "What's so funny?"

"Ya still have the fog on ya," Osmond replied.

"What does that mean?" Collins was only more confused.

"The fog o' innocence kid," Osmond explained, "Ya got a romanticized view on adventure, exciting sure it may be, but dangerous ta boot," Collins looked at the burnt side of Osmond's face, finding his words to ring true.

"If I could have your attention please," A feminine voice thick with the Orlesian accent rose above the general hum of the audience gathered. Collins and Osmond turned their gaze along with everyone else to see the Inquisition's spy master Leliana alongside Commander Cullen, head of the Inquisition's armed forces, "I assume you are all wondering why I have summoned you here, the Inquisitor has appointed me and Commander Cullen to oversee a new approach to spread our influence across Thedas,"

Murmuring started to spread among the audience until Cullen cleared his throat to regain everyone's attention. The commander then spoke up, "You have been handpicked by the inquisitor for your exceptional skills at what you do and your dedication to our cause, so you have been reassigned as proper Agents of the Inquisition,"

Leliana then spoke, "Before you were common soldiers fighting for our cause, though your talents prove that you are our best and are more suited for more challenging tasks, so you will be given assignments that will challenge your skills and, if successful, will spread our cause for peace further than ever before,"

The Spymaster then produced a series of scrolls and had them laid out on the table in the center of the room, the largest being a map of Thedas, "I have here a series of scout reports that need investigating, you will be divided into groups to focus on the most prevalent matters,"

The Leliana and Cullen divided the gathered agents into teams and gave them their assignments, Collins waited until he heard his name.

"And lastly; Anais Bellerose, Fredrick Collins, Gillard Ford, Jovkus Myathos, Osmond, and 'Saareba'," Cullen shouted out, "You will be led by Lieutenant Ford as you investigate reports of a remote outpost in northern Orlais not far from the city of Ghislain that went dark, last we've heard of them is that they were investigating the Venatori presence in the area, You're mission is to find out what happened and assess the situation appropriately,"

After that Collins and Osmond formed up with their group, Anais was the female elf Collins noticed earlier, she was youthful in appearance like all of her kind; she had medium length brown hair, and had mismatched eyes of blue and green. She wore leather armor that appeared very lightweight. Jovkus was a gruff looking dwarf with the only hair on his head coming from his chin in dirty blonde curls, and his nose was crooked, suggesting that it had been broken.

'Saareba' was the Qunari from earlier, she had short horns with one of them chipped and soft facial features. Despite her youthful look, she was easily the tallest in the group by a full head above Osmond and Ford. Ford himself was a battle hardened knight of the free marches with red hair and cold green eyes, on his back was a large bastard sword. The man emanated authority.

"Okay, I think we can skip the introductions until we're on the road," Ford suggested as he lead the group out of the room. Collins followed the group as he awaited his first adventure, blissfully unaware of the horror's he'd face in the future.

_**Author's note:**_

**I know it's not a very long starting chapter, but I intend the rest of the chapters to be longer. If you do submit a character, thank you for your time.**


	2. The Vanished: Part 1

**Thank you to the few people who submitted characters, I hope more of you will submit some as time goes by, as I can only keep this going as long as I got new characters to motivate me. Also I need more variety then Orlesian Elves. Maybe a mage or two, seeing as I only have one Qunari saarebas so far, that was not an invitation to submit more Qunari, I just want more unique mages.**

**Chapter 1: The Vanished**

**Part 1: Witness to Death**

_Collins, 9:41 AM, the Imperial Highway…_

It became immediately apparent to Collins that the group he was paired with wasn't all that talkative. Apart from Anais' occasional flirting with Jovkus and Ford, and Osmond's line of questioning towards the Bann's son for idle conversation; everyone mostly kept to themselves while they road up the Imperial Highway on horseback. The group had packed up and left immediately after they got their assignment with Ford leading the group as they made their way to Ghislain. The outpost they were to reach was an abandoned fortress built for a war long since forgotten, and was now one of the more remote outpost's for the Inquisition, which was still attempting to gain any kind of foothold. Most of Thedas had yet to even hear about the return of the Inquisition.

"What's the plan Lieutenant," Osmond questioned Ford after about three hours on the road, it would take them two days to reach Ghislain, and another half to reach the outpost north of it.

"Find out why the outpost had stopped communicating with Skyhold, assess the situation and respond accordingly," Ford replied monotonously as he kept his gaze forward towards the seemingly never ending highway.

"It looks like our leader is to the point, if a little vague," Jovkus pointed out from atop his pony, being a dwarf meant he could not ride a proper horse.

"We don't know what the situation is exactly, so forgive me for not having a plan for every possibility," Ford explained coldly towards the dwarf.

A silence fell upon the group again as they traveled onward. After ten minutes Collins decided to break the Ice, "So, Jovkus is it? What's our story?"

Jovkus simply shrugged as he gruffly stated, "What's to tell, my mom shit me out, I grew up in the warrior caste and learned to crack skulls and fuck girls,"

"Ever done an elf before, master dwarf?" Anais asked in her seductive, Orlesian accent.

"Yes, in fact, their skulls seem to crack more easily than most," Anais eyed the bald dwarf and simply carried on without comment.

"What's that up ahead?" Saareba asked as she pointed down the road to what appeared to be a group of figures blocking the road. Soon enough they got their answer as they pulled up to see eight individuals in mismatched armor standing before them. The tallest of them, a human with a close shaven head, walked up to Ford and eyed him up and down.

"What seems to be the problem?" Ford asked politely as the close shaven man circled the lieutenant's horse.

He soon stopped in front of Ford as he stated in a hoarse voice, "You're to give us your horses, or be slain,"

"Certainly you must be joking," Anais commented from the back of the group.

"Let me handle this," Ford commanded before turning back to the highwayman, "Sir, we require our horses to remain with us I'm afraid, it's a long ride we are partaking in,"

The highwayman simply spat into the ground by his feet before stating, "You think I care, there are eight of us and only six of you, kill them,"

The moment the highwayman finished his sentence, his fellow bandits drew their weapons and began their attack. Ford immediately unsheathed his sword and decapitated the highwayman before quickly dismounting, followed closely by the rest of the agents.

Collins immediately charged one of the bandits with sword in hand; soon he and his opponent where in a melee as each tried to overpower the other. Collins managed to dodge a swipe from the bandit before taking the opportunity to slicer at his side, the sword cutting through the worn leather and tasting blood. The bandit grunted in pain, but the wound was superficial.

Collins went in for another swing, but the bandit leapt back to avoid the blade, another grunt escaped him as he agitated his side. Collins then followed up with a downward hack. The opponent blocking with his own sword as the two tried to overpower the other by pressing their weapons together.

At first it seemed as though Collins would get the upper hand until the bandit thrust his blade upwards so the guard of his weapon collided with Collin's sword. The power and suddenness of the impact forced them to disengage. The bandit followed up by throwing a sucker punch at Collin's head, staggering him for a moment.

The bandit then went for a blind swing which the lad barely managed to block. The two pressed their blades hard against each other to try and overpower each other again, only for the bandit to suddenly violently cough up blood and splatter Collins in the face with the red fluid. The bandit fell to his knees as he dropped his weapon to reach for something on the back of his neck, his eyes staring at Collins with panic. He then fell forward to reveal a dagger lodged in the back of his neck.

Collins looked around to see that everyone else had already finished with their opponents. Some of the bandits had been burnt or had their limps missing as Collins watched his allies taking a breather or cleaning their weapons of the blood. The young lad turned his gaze back to the bandit that lay dead at his feet. Anais then walked over to the bandit and unceremoniously wretched her dagger from the man's neck, blood gushing out in a fountain of crimson.

It was then that Collin's lost his stomach.

The lad ran to the edge of the highway and blew chunks over the edge. He soon felt a heavy hand on his back and looked up to see Osmond standing next to him, "Ya first time seeing a dead body, lad?"

Collin's could only nod his head feverously.

"It will get easier, trust me," with those mildly encouraging words, the mercenary made his way back to the group. Collins could just make out Jovkus mutter, 'spineless nug' as he tried to regain control of his stomach.

V

_Osmond, 6:37 PM, the imperial highway_

The group had travelled the rest of the day without incident, and once the sun started to set, they pulled off of the highway to set up camp. Tents where raised by Ford and the still queasy Collins, the horses were fed by Anais and Saareba, and a fire was started by Osmond and Jovkus.

A silent peace rolled across the campsite as Jovkus set up a stew over the fire. Saareba took the first watch as Ford, Collins, Anais and Osmond sat around the fire on logs. The mercenary eyed Collins for a while before speaking up, "An Avvar barbarian,"

"What?" Collins asked as he turned his solemn gaze from the fire and looked at the scarred man.

"The first man I ever saw die was some Avvar barbarian, apparently he had been on a hunting trip and got attacked by a wolf o' a bear. Stumbled inta the clearing from the woods, m'Father threatened him with a pitchfork ta back off, until we saw the blood pouring out o' his gut, he collapsed, and father ordered m'ta keep pressure on his wound while he went for help, by the time he returned with a local healer, he'd gone,"

Everyone in the camp remained silent as Osmond recounted his tale, some time passed before Osmond spoke again, "The worst part 'bout it was, I was so focused on keeping pressure on the wound, I don't really know when exactly he passed," the scarred mercenary looked up at Collins before saying, "Just so ya know, I went through something similar ta ya ordeal,"

**Author's note:**

**Intended to be a little longer, but found this to be a good place to stop for now. The actual mission will begin in the next installment.**


	3. The Vanished: Part 2

**Took a little longer than expected, but I'm still quite pleased with how this turned out.**

**Chapter 1: The Vanished**

**Part 2: Arrival**

_Collins, 12:04 PM, north of Ghislain_

It was midday by the time the group had reached the outpost. The six agents rode up the main road to the fortress within the expansive forest. The place gave Collins an ominous feel as the fortress loomed over them, decrepit and abandoned in appearance. Once they stopped at the gates Ford called out to any sentry that might be on guard. No one answered.

"There were fifty men stationed here, there is no way they are all off duty," Jovkus reasoned as the group dismounted. The moment they did a chill wind blew by and the horses freaked, galloping off much to the protest of their riders.

"That doesn't bode well," Saareba muttered as they watched the last of the horses disappear amongst the trees.

"Come on, we need to find out what happened to the men stationed here," Ford urged as he looked at the closed gates, finding it impossible to move without the lever. The knight then got an idea, "Anais, think you can climb the walls and find the lever for the gate?"

"I can try," the elf admitted as she walked up to the fortress wall and started climbing.

Collins looked back down the road where the horses had fled, "Shouldn't someone go get the horses?"

"Congratulations on volunteering Collins," Ford stated dismissively as he awaited Anais to finish climbing the wall.

"I'll accompany you," Saareba, the Qunari mage offered, "I've got a spell that should calm them down,"

"Thanks," Collins replied as the two set out to find the horses.

V

_Anais, 12:07 PM, Ghislain Fortress_

The elven rogue made deliberate work on her climb. She would make sure that each hold she found on the decrepit wall was stable before make her next advance; for she knew that with each inch she rose, the price from a misstep would rise as well.

After a few minutes of climbing, she pulled herself over the embrasure and onto the wall walk; she immediately found the lever in the gatehouse and gave it a pull until the gates opened up. She then looked over the embrasure to see Ford, Osmond and Jovkus enter through the now opened gate. Finding the inner stairs that led from the wall to the bailey, she met up with her fellow agents, "This place looks abandoned, what now?"

"We split up and find out what happened here, Jovkus, you're with me, we're going to check the stables and barracks," Ford ordered the dwarf before turning to the Mercenary and the elf, "You two will search the keep and chapel, we'll meet back here with any survivor's or clues we can find,"

"Understood," Osmond and Jovkus responded while Anais gave a nod of acknowledgement before they split up into their groups to conduct their search.

V

_Collins, 12:11 PM, Ghislain forest_

Luckily, Collins father often took his family on hunting trips, so the young warrior knew the basics of tracking and they found the horse tracks easily. He and the Qunari known as Saareba were busy following in silence, soon the curiosity got the better of Collins and he had to ask, "What's it like living under the Cwun?"

"It's pronounced: _Qun_ and I wouldn't really know, I try not to remember those times as a child," Saareba admitted bluntly.

"You mean you weren't always part of the Qun?" Collins questioned.

"That is what I said, in essence," Saareba confirmed.

"I thought all Qunari were followers of the Qun?" The lad admitted.

"All Qunari _are_ followers of the Qun," Saareba pointed out.

"But you're Qunari, and you don't follow the Qun? Collins asked, confused.

"I am not Qunari," Saareba muttered bluntly.

"But you have horns like any other Qunari?" Collins pointed out.

"Qunari is not a race, it's a way of life, as best as I can describe it in Human tongue," Saareba corrected as they found one of their horses drinking by a stream, "hold back, I'll try and calm it,"

Collins stood back as he was told and watched in amazement as Saareba grabbed her staff form behind her back. She moved the magical device expertly through her hands in intricate patterns as a calming blue light emanated from the staff; he looked to the horse and saw the same blue aura emanate from the horse as well. It soon stopped drinking and calmly trotted towards the mage. Saareba then gently patted the animal on the snout and offered foreign words that Collins assumed was endearment to the animal as best as he can figure out. she then grabbed the reins and handed them to Collins.

"How did you do that?" Collins couldn't help but ask.

"Simple calming spell, often used in Tevinter to help one sleep, or lower someone's guard before you kill them," Saareba stated the beneficial and cruel potential uses of the spell, "Anyway, I'll keep looking for more horses, you can lead it back to the fortress I take it?"

"But what if it tries to bolt again?" Collins asked, remembering the last time they brought the horses to the fortress.

"The calm spell should linger on the horse for at least another hour, It will be fine," Saareba promised as she headed off to find the other horses.

Collins turned around and guided the horse back the way they came, he found himself thinking about what Saareba had said about not being a member of the Qunari, _'wonder why she left the Qun? I heard all Qunari are overzealous about their faith, wonder what made her leave?' _he then remembered how she knew the uses of spells in Tevinter and wondered if she was a defector, or a spy.

These thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the wooden creak of a bow being drawn right behind him, accompanied by a masculine voice muttering, "If you draw your sword, you die, if you call for help, you die, now reach down and unbuckle your sword from your belt,"

Collins replied and reached down to perform his task, the man behind him quickly shouted, "Slowly!" and the lad slowed his movements and removed his sword from his belt.

"Now toss it away," Collins complied and tossed the sword, still in its sheath, into the ground with a dull thud.

"Now step away from the horse," Collins was about to, but then he thought of something.

"Why didn't you just kill me?"

"Excuse me?" the man questioned irritably.

"Why didn't you just put an arrow through my neck," Collins pointed out, "You clearly had the element of surprise on me, but you announced yourself and held me hostage instead,"

"You think I won't kill you?"

"No, I came across some bandits earlier that demanded our horses a few days ago, when we questioned them, they attacked us without second thought, surely you must have thought about just killing me, yet you second quest it," Collins explained.

"Then tell me oh wise one, why didn't I?"

"Because you're not a killer," the lad pointed out.

"You don't know what I am or am not!" the man countered.

"Then put an arrow through me," Collins then turned around to face his captor, a lean built man in his thirties with long black hair reaching out of his hood and a stubble on his chin, he wore patched together leather and wool. He had a longbow of crude make pointed at him with an equally crude arrow notched in it.

The man shook his head as a smirk showed up on his face, "You're bluffing; you don't really want me to shoot you,"

"It doesn't matter what I think now does it," Collins pointed out, "What really matters here, is if you're thinking you can stomach watching a man die in front of you,"

The man eyed Collins, tell for any signs of a bluff, the lad hoped that he managed to keep his face passive enough to fool him long enough for Saareba to knock him out.

'_**CONK,'**_ the man fell to the ground unconscious, Saareba then bent down and picked up the man's bow and tossed them aside. She then took some rope from the horse's saddle and tied the man up. She then turned to Collins and asked, "How'd you know he wouldn't kill you?"

"I didn't," Collins admitted modestly, "I was hoping I'd stall him long enough for you to get the jump on him,"

"So what should we do with him?" Saareba questioned as she eyed the man, "Kill him, leave him?"

"I say we should question him, see if he knows anything about what happened to the men stationed at the base," Collins suggested as he and Saareba picked up the man and through him onto the horse's back. They then headed back to the fortress.

V

_Osmond, 12:13 PM, Ghislain Fortress_

"Ya found anyone?!" Osmond shouted from across the main hall of the keep as he closed the door to a side office that was unoccupied. The strange thing about the whole place was that there was no sign of struggle, nor any indication that anything was wrong with the condition of the place, the office was lived in with documents and ornamental objects on the desk. The only sign that it hadn't been used in a while was the state of the candles that had melted down to the base of the candleholder, the wax hardening in an overflow as though it was lit and kept lit for many hours, days even.

"Nope, just a bunch of nothing," Anais stated as she sauntered over to Osmond and shrugged, "You'd think that if something attacked the place that it would leave signs of a struggle, but it's like everyone just up and left,"

"Yea, this place is disturbing me though," Osmond admitted as he looked over his shoulder, getting the strange sensation that someone was watching him.

"Maybe if we find the commanding officer's office, we can find some documents on what happened?" Anais suggested.

"Well I just found an office right 'ere," Osmond pointed out as he gesture towards the room he just came out of.

"No, his office wouldn't be on the first floor, most likely on the second or third," Anais suggested thoughtfully.

"How would ya know something like that?" Osmond questioned.

Anais simply smirked devilishly as she stated, "This pony has more than one trick up her skirt," Osmond got the impression that she wasn't just talking about the layout of fortresses.

"Sure, let's just find out what happened here,"

_**Author's note:**_

**For those who obsess over every detail you can find about Dragon Age Inquisition like myself: If you can guess who the man that ambushed Collins is correctly (He does have a name and is canon to Dragon Age Inquisition ****exclusively****), you can suggest to me a romance pairing with one (or two) of the characters already in the story (You can either pair two of them up, or suggest a character of your own and who you want them to romance).**

**Hint on the character's identity: Canonically part of the Inquisition, but is NOT a companion in the main story.**

**Just so there is some consistency, I will tell you the sexualities of the characters that already shown up so you can match them as you wish while respecting the characters preferences:**

**Anais: bisexual, all races**

**Collins: heterosexual, prefers humans**

**Ford: Bisexual, prefers non mage humans and elves**

**Jovkus: Heterosexual, prefers dwarves**

**Osmond: Heterosexual, all races**

**Saareba: Homosexual, all races**

**I know that half of them are heterosexual, but to be honest, most of them are of my own creation anyway (all but one in fact). Also, if playing matchmaker isn't your thing, you can instead have me give you ONE spoiler for the story (Just promise not to tell anyone), or suggest a mission arc (So long as you mention that in the Private messaging and not on the reviews). This little trivia/contest will run until I bring up the next chapter, afterwards I will be revealing the character's name through the story.**


	4. The Vanished: Part 3

**Sorry if certain parts feel rushed. I was hoping to get things beyond this mission and start introducing all of your wonderful characters before I have too many to introduce safely. Also, keep an eye on Selvira's Profile, as she is writing a companion piece to my story featuring the backstory of her submitted character: the Qunari mage with a love of animals and a painful past, Saareba.**

**Chapter 1: The Vanished**

**Part 3: Descent into Darkness**

_Ford, 12:21 PM, Ghislain Fortress bailey_

The Knight and the dwarf had finished their sweep of the stables and barracks when Collins and Saareba returned with one of the horses, and an unconscious man looped around its back. Ford raised an eyebrow at this as Collins slipped the man off of the horse and laid him down by the gate.

"What is going on here? I thought you were getting the horses!" Ford questioned the two agents, "And who is this?"

"Some guy who attacked me," Collins stated, "He may know what's going on here,"

"Well, best to wake him up and start interrogating him," Ford suggested.

V

_Osmond, 12:22 PM, Ghislain Fortress commander's office_

"Still nothing," Osmond growled in frustration as he finished looking through some papers on the Commander's desk. This was proving to be a huge waste of time.

"I think I found something," Anais proclaimed as she found a logbook and placed it on the desk, "Their last report to us was that they were investigating the Venatori presence here right? So what if the Venatori had something to do with it?"

"Go on," Osmond encouraged.

"I found a report in this logbook about them ambushing a Venatori patrol and taking them captive," Anais explained as she read the report.

"Did they mention where they kept 'em?" Osmond questioned.

"It says here, in the dungeons,"

"Let's head down there then," Osmond suggested.

V

_Collins, 12:23 PM, Ghislain fortress bailey_

Collins splashed some cold water on the man's face and he woke up immediately in a startled panic. He looked around wildly to take in his surroundings before focusing on Collins and instantly recognizing him, "What did you do?!"

"I'll be asking the questions here," Ford announced himself; causing the man to turn his gaze towards the knight, "What's your name?"

"Hall," the man answered.

"Do you know about the Inquisition?"

"Never heard of it," Hall proclaimed.

"What about the Venatori?" Ford pressed.

"Vaguely rings a bell,"

"Do you know anything about what happened to the men stationed at this outpost?" Ford questioned further.

"Only that they disappeared after they captured those strangers," Hall pointed out.

The agents gathered side glanced at each other at that, Collins then asked, "What strangers? What did they look like?"

"They were human, that much I can tell," The archer admitted, "One of them was wearing a dress though, despite being a man from my observation,"

"A dress, you mean like a robe?" Saareba questioned.

"That's it," Hall confirmed.

"A Venatori mage," Saareba muttered.

"You don't think a single mage can make an entire fortress of men disappear, do you?" Collins asked.

"I don't know, depending on how powerful this mage is, it might be possible, I do know that ever since the Breach my magic has grown in power, so way not any other mage," Saareba then gazed around the fortress, "I do know that the veil feels very thin here,"

"I don't know much about what you're talking about," Hall admitted, "All I do know is once those strangers entered this place, the patrols stopped, and then a few days later only the robed one walked out, blood on his mouth and front of his robe, too much blood to be all his,"

"Blood magic," Ford spat as he gripped his sword, "Who knows what foul sorcery that mage has caused,"

V

_Osmond, 12:24 PM, Ghislain Fortress Keep_

"It's locked," Osmond grunted as he tried forcing the reinforced wooden door to no success.

"Move aside, I can get it to open," Anais ordered as Osmond stepped out of her way. She crouched down and reached into her pocket to produce a set of lock picks and started on the door. Osmond watched as she fidgeted with the lock for a few minutes before a click was heard.

"Ya got it?" Osmond asked.

"I think so," Anais admitted as she turned the lock and then the handle, the door creaking open to a dimly lit set of stairs that descent into darkness. The two looked down as though waiting for something, but nothing happened.

Grabbing and lighting a torch from the nearby wall, Osmond began his descent. The light of the torch pierced the darkness as he went further down the stairs.

He barely got halfway down the flight before he saw a silhouette at the edge of the torches light. Osmond took one more step and found a man in the Inquisition requisite armor standing with his back to the mercenary, "Hello, are ya alright?"

"…"

"Hey, did ya hear me?" Osmond asked with a bad feeling in his gut. Which was confirmed when the man turned around to reveal a mildly decayed face with dead eyes staring at nothing, the creature released a roar and charged Osmond who, not having enough time to draw his sword, smacked it with the torch, lighting the dry flesh on fire. The creature hissed and screeched as Osmond kicked it in the chest and it fell down the stairs; the light of the burning creature revealing at least a dozen similar creatures in the dark. Osmond bid a hasty retreat until he reached the top of the stairs so he and Anais could close and lock the door as banging could be heard on the other side.

"What were those things?!" Anais shouted as they stepped away from the door, cautious about the doors integrity.

"Those were our missing soldiers," Osmond whispered. As they turned to inform the others once they were certain that the door could hold the undead army below.

They met up with Collins and Ford just outside the keeps main entrance. The leader of the group quickly demanded a status update.

"We found evidence of Venatori being captured and held in the dungeons, we went to investigate only to find a bunch of undead," Osmond explained to the knight.

"Yea, one of the captives was a blood mage," Collins pointed out.

"How'd you know that?" Anais asked.

"We found a woodsman named Hall that had been in the area, he described what he saw," Collins elaborated as he pointed to the bound man that Saareba and Jovkus were escorting forward, much to the captive's protests.

"We need to deal with this situation now," Ford commanded as he drew his shield and sword.

"What do we do with him?" Saareba asked, gesturing to Hall.

"I say we just leave him here, he was perfectly willing to rob and kill one of our own!" Jovkus proclaimed as he readied his ax.

"I promise that if you free me I'll never bother you again!" Hall insisted, "All I want to do is get as north as possible anyway!"

"Why would you want to go north?" Anais questioned.

"So I can get away from the demons pouring out of the sky down south of course!" Hall proclaimed.

"You witnessed the Breach?" Saareba questioned.

"Yea, sure, if that's what you call it," Hall pleaded.

"How about this," Collins suggested, "If you help us stop the undead, you'll be free to go,"

"Deal" Hall agreed.

"Hold on, how do we know you won't just kill us when our backs are turned?" Ford questioned suspiciously.

"I kill for necessity, not desire, and only if I absolutely have to," Hall admitted.

Collins nodded his head, "I can attest to that, he could have just killed me when he got the drop on me,"

Ford sighed, "We'll need all the help we can get anyway, best not to be picky," the knight then turned to Hall, "But if you betray us, I'll end you myself,"

"Understood," Hall agreed.

V

_Saareba, 12:35 PM, Ghislain Fortress Dungeon_

The Agents had gathered at the door leading to the dungeon, Anais walked up and gripped the door handle. She looked back to her fellow agents waiting for the signal, Ford gave a solemn nod and the elf unlocked the door before pulling it open and out of the way for the few undead that came charging out.

Saareba stepped forward and placed her hand to her forehead to summon a mind blast; the force of the magic energy knocking the undead back and down the stairs. The clank and scrap of metal on stone could be heard as they tumbled down the stairs.

Ford and Osmond ran passed Saareba with their shields raised and advancing down the stairs shoulder to shoulder, followed by Jovkus and Collins. Saareba looked at Hall and gesture for him to go next, for she and Anais were ordered to keep an eye on the archer.

With a heavy sigh, the archer readied his bow and arrows before descending into the dungeon as well; with Saareba and Anais bringing up the rear.

Saareba headed down the stairs to see Ford, Osmond, Collins and Jovkus slaughtering the corpses that had fallen down the stairs with Hall firing arrows down a corridor. She fired spirit bolt after spirit bolt to fend off the undead as they tried to overwhelm the agents. But they stayed calm and methodic about their approach with Ford and Osmond blocking their advance while Saareba and Hall fired at them from a distance. Anais, Collins and Jovkus would weave through the defensive line to hack at the undead before quickly retreating back. They would inspect each and every cell in the dungeon as they went by to make sure they wouldn't leave any of the threat behind. But then they soon came to an intersection that forked off into three other directions, not counting the direction they came from.

"Now what?" Jovkus grumbled as he removed his ax from the skull of an undead.

"We split up," Ford ordered, "Anais; you're with me down the left path, Saareba and Jovkus, you take Hall down the right, and Osmond and Collins takes the far path,"

"Understood," Saareba agreed as she, the dwarf and the woodsman head down the path they were given, working their way down until more of the undead started charging them.

Though they quickly dispatched them until they reached one particular cell at the end of the corridor; inside they found three undead that were different from the others, they had no Inquisition armor on, in fact they wore only their loincloths, had severe wounds and bruises on their bodies as though they were tortured, and they each had their throats ripped out.

One charged Jovkus wildly, but the dwarf put him down with a mighty swing of his ax. But the second one pounced on him, knocking his weapon out of his hands and trying to strangle him. Saareba was about to help but the other grabbed at her and required here attention least she die.

Jovkus was a strong dwarf even by his kind's standard, but his reach wasn't long enough to grab the corpse as it strangled him at arm's length. But then an arrow imbedded itself into the undead's head, killing it as Jovkus grabbed his ax and cleaved the one attack Saareba in two.

Saareba and Jovkus looked at their savior, Hall who had fired his last arrow into the corpse's skull. The man simply said, "Now we're even,"

"When were you indebted to us?" Saareba asked.

"When you chose to spare my life," Hall said as he removed his arrow from the corpse's skull.

Saareba knelt down at the three dead corpses and inspected them, "why do they have their throats ripped out?"

Hall inspected them as well; he then reached into the throat and pulled something out that was white in appearance, "This is a human tooth in the wound,"

"Maker preserve us," Saareba said as it dawned on her.

"What? What does that mean?" Jovkus asked, confused.

"I think I know what has happened here," Saareba said as she inspected one of the armored undead, one of the inquisition soldiers, "Just as I thought,"

"Well spit it out," Jovkus demanded impatiently.

"the corpses of the soldiers all have their throats slit by something sharp," Saareba explained, "But the three prisoners have their throats bitten out,"

She then turned to Hall, "You said the mage walked out with a lot of blood on his mouth right?"

"Yes," the woodsman replied.

"I think what happened was that the Venatori got captured on purpose," Saareba began, "when the mage got the chance, he bit out his comrade's throats so he could have enough blood to work a blood thrall ritual, he then took control of all the soldiers in the fortress, brought them into the dungeon and have them slit their own throats, then he somehow summoned demons to possess the dead bodies,"

Saareba then looked to her two companions; Hall looked like throwing up, while Jovkus, the gruff dwarf that in the short time Saareba had known him was always cold and callous, looked extremely disturbed.

"Could a single mage really do that?" the dwarf questioned quietly, "Take control of an entire fortress like that?"

The mage's expression grew dark as she stated, "I've seen feats of magic performed in Tevinter far grander and far more heinous, it isn't easy, but it is possible, and with the veil torn so badly, it would only be easier to accomplish, now come on, let's meet up with everyone else,"

V

_Collins, 2:52 PM, Ghislain fortress bailey,_

By the time they reunited with their companions, everyone had finished slaughtering the corpses. They left the dungeon and spent the next two hours hunting down the rest of the horses before getting ready to pack up and leave; as they did so everyone reflected on the horrors of Saareba's revelation.

Collins couldn't grasp his mind around the idea that someone would slaughter his own comrades so barbarically just to accomplish an end. When he joined the Inquisition, he was informed of the organization's enemies, but the gravity of their measures to achieve victory over the fledging order hadn't truly grasped Collins until now.

Ford handled the reality of the events, but that didn't make things better for him. He thought about his brother, who had joined the Templar order, and then the war to bring mages under control. The knight wondered if his brother was still alive, now knowing what the mages were capable of.

Saareba wasn't lying when she said she had witnessed far worse in Tevinter, most mages there are cruel sociopaths that had an unquenchable thirst for more power, and the Venatori were no different. As she set up her saddle her gaze inevitable turned to the side pouch on the saddle; she reached in and produced a scroll with a purple wax seal on it. This caused her to think about her mistress; Magister Helene, a single rose in a country of cruel weeds that eventual wilted. Saareba squeezed the scroll as she remembered her promise to her mistress.

Osmond was a man who suffered at the hands of the life he was given. He'd seen many a horrible atrocities. The Mercenary knew that right now the thing that disturbed him about today wasn't the horror that happened in that dungeon, but the fact that he was numb to it. He'd seen so much horror and death that he felt nothing anymore, and that was what terrified him.

Anais was used to cruelty in general, but it was usually with a petty motive, 'This fellow noble of mine didn't give me a present that was exquisite enough for my birthday, so he must die' that sort of thing. She thought that her experience within the Grand Game of Orlais to the benefit of the now late Duke Prosper De Montfort would harden her to the cruelties of the world, but she had never experienced cruelty for truly malicious intent before.

Jovkus had learned early on in his time as an exile from his homeland of Orzammar that it was best to keep to one's self, unfortunately that has led to a development of keeping things bottled in. he always felt depressed and angry. He didn't know how, but he intended to vent his anger somehow when he got back to Skyhold, probably drink himself into a stupor or something.

"Okay, lets hit the road, the Inquisitor will want a status update on what happened as soon as possible," Ford commanded as they finished setting up their saddles; but just as they were about to get on, a familiar face walked up to them.

"Come to see us off Hall?" Collins greeted as the woodsman walked through the gateway.

"I've done some serious thinking and I've decided," Hall began, "I've decided that I'm tired of running away from the demons and leaving the world to its fate, I have some skill that I'm sure your organization will desire,"

The agents looked amongst each other, and a mutual understanding passed among them. Ford then looked to the Woodsman and said, "Welcome to the Inquisition, Hall,"

**Author's note:**

**I'm really proud of how I ended this chapter. And yes things are meant to feel somewhat unresolved: Who was the blood mage? What is with the scroll Saareba was holding? Why was Jovkus exiled? What other horrors has Osmond witnessed? Will I ever get a dwarf another character submission?**

**Also, if you don't know who Hall is, he is THE archer in the Dragon Age: Inquisition Multiplayer, yay for canon! You can learn more about him by looking up Lady Ashe Insanity's Youtube channel and find the multiplayer characters video; he's the first one she describes. OR, you can go to the Dragon age Wiki and type in Hall in the search bar.**

**Next chapter should introduce SOME of the character submission, the reason I'm not introducing them all is because I want to have you guys get used to a little at a time instead of giving you all a million characters that you get mixed up. I also have a few chapters planned that will focus entirely on introducing a particular character each.**


	5. Recruits: Part 1

**Just so you know, I'm changing Collins from a heterosexual that prefers fellow humans to a heterosexual that prefers both humans and elves.**

**If your character didn't show up yet, don't worry, they will make an appearance.**

**Chapter 2: Recruits**

**Part 1: The Second Batch**

_**From the desk of Commander Cullen, military advisor to the Inquisitor**_

_**As per request you're Eminence; the field report of the Ghislain Investigation, headed by Lieutenant Sir Gillard Ford:**_

_**Field report:**_

_**We were sent to investigate the loss of communications between Skyhold and the Fortress of Ghislain, of which fifty brave men and women had been stationed. The Agents and I arrived at the fortress at late morn on the third day, upon arrive we found the place abandoned.**_

_**The horses got spooked and ran off. I sent agents Frederick Collins and Saareba to retrieve the horses as Anais Bellerose climbed the battlements to open the gate. Upon entrance we split up in search of any survivors, Jovkus Myathos and I searched the stables and barracks, while Osmond and Anais investigated the keep and chapel.**_

_**Meanwhile as agents Collins was retrieving one of the horses; he got ambushed by a woodsman that we would later find out to be named Hall. The man intended to rob Collins of the horse but our agent distracted him long enough for Saareba to knock him unconscious. They brought Hall back to then fortress bound so we could interrogate him. It turned out that our soldiers had captured a Venatori patrol in the area, among which a mage, just before they disappeared.**_

_**With the investigative skills of Osmond and Anais, and the considerable knowledge of the magical arts by Saareba, we deduced that the Venatori purposely got captured so they could use blood magic within the fortress and turn everyone into a thrall in order to kill themselves. This was clearly a powerful mage to have been able to perform such a strong magical feat.**_

_**Unfortunately, the mage escaped before our arrival, but we have dealt with the undead presence in the fortress with the assistance of Hall. We would recommend sending forces as soon as possible to replace the brave soldiers lost, and to have increased caution when capturing Venatori prisoners.**_

_**Assessment of agents on mission:**_

_**Anais Bellerose:**_

_**While an invaluable asset with her extensive expertise, Anais has regularly expressed sensual antics towards her fellow members, much to the varying chagrin of everyone involved. This won't be a problem so long as it does not distract her fellow agents. While I can say that such a situation has not come up where an agent got distracted, I worry that it might happen in the future to anyone she is grouped up with. Also, given her background, I wouldn't recommend sleeping with both eyes closed when she's around, just as a precaution.**_

_**Fredrick Collins:**_

_**I genuinely worry for the kid, I'll be honest, mostly for the sake of any mission he partakes in. he's inexperienced in the harsh realities of the current state of the world. He has never killed another person until this mission, and has passible fighting skills. While I won't deny that the kid has potential, and he has a clever mind to get himself out of a tricky situation, I question the rationale behind having him partake in such high risk missions. I recommend he get some proper training before his next incursion.**_

_**Jovkus Myathos:**_

_**Jovkus has proven himself to be a skilled warrior, if anti-social and argumentative. There really isn't much else to say about him, he follows orders with only the occasional question if only for elaboration. Though he does seem to have a sadistic mindset, and has indirectly threatened fellow agent Anais during the journey to Ghislain, I only worry if the threats are idle or not.**_

_**Osmond:**_

_**A professional through and through, the old mercenary may have age working against him, but he proves himself as both a soldier and a leader. He has proven to be quite sociable with the other agents and seemed to have formed a sort of mentor role for agent Collins. I'd recommend any future mission that Collins partakes in to have Osmond alongside him at least until the kid has developed better fighting skills.**_

_**Saareba:**_

_**I don't know what to make with this one; we do know that she escaped the Qunari occupied lands once she found out she was a mage, and that she somehow became a Magister's apprentice, or so she claims. She certainly dresses as a Tevinter. But perhaps it is just my prejudices getting the better of me; Saareba has proven time and again to be a dedicated agent and confident fighter that follow orders, even volunteers for objectives required. And her magic and knowledge of magical properties has proven most helpful during the mission.**_

_**Hall:**_

_**The woodsman that helped us with the undead problem in Ghislain fortress, the man seems an introvert and quite defiant. He did however save agents Saareba and Jovkus while we were clearing the dungeons of Ghislain Fortress. Though the deal was that he could leave a free man after he helped us, he volunteered to join the Inquisition. He has exceptional skill with a bow, and seems to have a sense of being needed to stop the demon threat. I would still keep an eye on him for a while; at least until we are certain he can truly be trusted.**_

V

_Naleen, 8:22 AM, Skyhold passage_

The trot of horse's hooves and the cranking of the prisoner wagon was the only sound that occupied Naleen's ears as she walked up the road high in the mountains. The caravan had been traveling for three days without stop except at dusk, and they would travel again just before dawn. The Dalish healer had no problem with the harsh travelling, for the elves always traveled hard between camping locations; though she found that the Shemlen, for all the impatient traits of their lifestyle, to be rather irritable.

The tall Shemlen warrior called Gerard Bastian always seemed irate, and would glare at her with his injured left eye. She had offered to heal it for him, but he merely gripped his sword handle and threatened to slaughter her if she uses any of her 'accursed sorcery' on him. This genuinely confused her, for magic was the gift of the Creator's, and was meant to help others. Either way, she kept her distance from the Templar.

The Shemlen Hahren by the name of Heraclian Naissus was much kinder, and a fellow mage like herself, though the elder rarely engaged in conversation and revealed little about himself for that reason.

The only other elf besides her was a flat ear by the name of Aniel. Though she tried to hold a conversation with him, he always proved aloof and sarcastic, and seemed to hold himself a lot like the Shemlen. He even went as far as dressing like one with an azure colored vest.

And then there was the individual in the prisoner wagon, which was effectively a giant cage on wheels. A tall, fearsome Shemlen dressed in rags with wild eyes and a fierce expression on her face. One of the Inquisition soldiers that were escorting them to Skyhold said that she was a reaver, a warrior that drinks the blood of dragons to gain unnatural strength and endurance, and that she was given a choice, serve or die.

An interesting group of individuals; that much Naleen could discern from her travelling party.

"We're here, recruits!" Their guide shouted in a gruff voice as they came around a bend to see a large walled fortress at the top of a mountain. The Dalish soaked in the sight with her eyes in amazement. She had heard of Shemlen fortress, and how they were taller than trees and wider then a large campsite clearing, but she had never believed them until now.

V

_Collins, 8:31 AM, Skyhold Bailey_

"Why are we waiting here again?" Collins asked with a bored expression on his face as he and Osmond waited by the fortress gates with the cold air nipping at his extremities in the early dawn.

"Ta greet the new recruits," Osmond stated briskly as he waited at attention, if he was bothered by the cold, Collins couldn't see it, "and ta escort the prisoner,"

"Prisoner?" Collins questioned worryingly.

"Ya, our men in Haven got ambushed by a reaver, slaughtered twenty good men before she came down, and their escorting the prisoner ta here now," Osmond elaborated. He then raised an eyebrow followed shortly by, "and there they are,"

Collins watched as the Caravan containing mostly soldiers of the Inquisition passed through the gates. He noticed the recruits, an older man with dark brown hair edged with grey, wielding a mages staff as a walking stick. There was also an elf dressed in a blue vest that matched his eyes. Besides him was a tall man in a Templar uniform with his helmet off to reveal cropped hair as black as black gets above hazel eyes on a stern face.

And behind them was a young elven woman of early twenties by his estimate. She had short blonde hair with a rose placed in it, dark brown eyes and a delicate frame within white robes. He didn't realize he was staring until Osmond knocked him on the back of the head and whispered, "Its impolite ta stare at a woman lad,"

"I wasn't staring," Collins replied as he rubbed his head and looked to the prisoner wagon, where a giant woman in rags glared at him with angry eyes, her hair a crazed mess as she regarded Collins like someone might size up a potential meal.

Needless to say, Collins felt unnerved around the reaver.


	6. Recruits: Part 2

**I changed the rating to M because of Anais' little antic in this chapter, I don't know if it truly deserves an M rating, but I'm just playing it safe.**

**Chapter 2: Recruits**

**Part 2: Recreations**

_Collins, 12:06 PM, Skyhold Mess Hall_

The young lad settled into his seat between Jovkus and Anais, with Osmond and Saareba sitting across from them as he set to eating his food; salted pork and hard cheese with a mug of mead to wash it all down.

The five agents gathered have become rather close, Collins wasn't sure if they would constitute as friends, but there was a sense of comradery amongst them. This was evident in many forms, such as Osmond reciting one of his adventures across the forty-seven years of his life. Anais and Saareba would chat amicably, often with the Qunari getting flustered by the elf's lewd nature. Even Jovkus would join in on the conversations with the others, but mostly just to give his gruff input. Collins would simply listen and give his own input when needed, glad to have such comrades.

A figure of white caught the lad's eyes from behind Osmond and Saareba, and noticed Naleen walking by with a tray of her own food. She walked with a sense of nervousness, like she didn't belong here as she found a quiet corner of the mess hall to eat in peace.

Collins was drawn out of his staring by a slender hand gripping his trousers, causing a yelp of surprise to escape his lips as he turned to find the culprit. No surprise, it was Anais with a devilish smirk.

"Ahhh… Our little Collins' got a crush?" The mischievous elf sung with the accompaniment of Jovkus boisterous laughter, Osmond rolling his eyes and Saareba trying to stifle her giggles with her hand over her mouth.

"No I don't," The young warrior protested. In response the elf simply squeezed a little harder on his manhood.

"You're second head says otherwise," Anais replied devilishly as Collins pull her hand off of him. The elven rogue simply chuckled before saying, "Come on kid, it's perfectly natural to be attracted to a lovely lady, just go up and ask to if you two can roll in the hay,"

"Are you crazy? That's the easiest way to scare her off," Collins countered.

"Oh, it's a relationship you want, well, I'm out," Anais stated as she stood up and sauntered away, but stopped after a few steps before looking back at him, "But if you ever want all the fun without the frustration, come find me, my door is always unlocked at night,"

The elf then winked at Collins before strutting off. The lad turned back to his comrades and said, "I don't know what scares me more: that she's teasing me, or is actually serious,"

Everyone nodded in silent agreement.

V

_Hall, 12:11 PM, Skyhold Bailey_

The Archer fired arrow after arrow into the target dummy with exceptional precision, always hitting a bull's eye with each arrow. Soon he ran out of arrows and walked over to the dummy to retrieve his arrows.

'_Swish'_ Once Hall had gotten the last arrow out of the dummy, a throwing knife imbedded itself directly in the center of the bull's eye where the woodsman's hand had been a second ago. He turned his gaze to see an elf with blonde hair and blue eyes wearing an azure vest twirling a similar knife through his fingers.

Hall looked back to the knife and then back to the elf, "Respectable shot,"

"Better than yours," the elf countered in a mocking tone.

"Sorry, your name was?" Hall asked, trying to ignore the insult.

"Aniel, professional bard from Orlais," The elf greeted himself.

"A Bard eh?" Aniel nodded, "and tell me, what do you mean by 'better than yours?'"

"A bow is designed to launch arrows, a knife takes skill to throw properly," Aniel explained.

"The bow takes skill too you know," Hall pointed out.

"But of course," Aniel taunted, "A little skill perhaps,"

"How about this," Hall offered, walking up to the elf, "we each take a shot at the practice dummy, each time we hit, we walk a pace back, and shoot again, whoever misses first, buys the drinks,"

Hall held out his hand to Aniel, who grasped it in turn, "deal,"

V

_Saareba, 4:36 PM, personal quarters_

The Qunari relaxed into her desk chair besides her bed. Her room was sparsely decorated with anything more than the essentials; a bed to sleep on, a desk to work at, and a truck for her personal belongings, of which there weren't many.

She closed her eyes and simply let her mind wander; she thought back to the time she learned she was a mage, or Saarebas, as her original nation called them.

She remembers smuggling herself off of Seheron and stumbling across Helene and her hunting party. She couldn't help but smile when she remembered when the mage had asked what her name was, 'Saareba-' she had clasped her hand over her mouth before she finished her response, and the mage had laughed and assumed that to be her name, and so it was.

This caused a tear to run down her face at the memory of Helene. Soon she opened her eyes to see the scroll on her desk. She picked it up and read the archaic runes on the wax seal, 'I open at the purest touch', what did that even mean? She had tried prayer and confession to the Maker to purify herself before touching the wax seal, but it wouldn't open. Perhaps it wasn't meant for mages, as they were often thought of as cursed by the Maker. That meant that she would have to find someone else to open it for her, but she didn't know who exactly to trust with such a request.

The mage released an agitated growl as she felt truly stumped.

V

_Osmond, 6:21 PM, Skyhold Bailey_

The old mercenary hacked away at the practice dummy, only the sound of his sword on wood and straw accompanied by the firing of arrows and throwing knifes from Hall and Aniel could be heard. The two had been at it for hours, eventually running out of courtyard to increase their difficulty and had their backs to the far wall. Not one of them had missed yet.

"How long have they been going at it?" A voice asked to Osmond's right, the mercenary turned his gaze to see Ford.

"Around six hours now," said Osmond as the two watched the rogues go at it.

"We got new orders, from the Inquisitor in fact," Ford said as he handed the mercenary a scroll. Osmond unfurled it and read silently.

"Crestwood?" Ford nodded in replied.

"Yea, two teams, one to capture the Red Templar fortress just outside the village, and another to liberate the village itself,"

"And you're telling just me this way?" Osmond asked.

"Because I want you leading the second team," Ford stated.

"And who will we be leading?"

"Them," Ford said as he pointed to the two rogues still throwing arrows and knifes at a practice dummy, "Also, Saareba, Collins, Naleen, and Gerard,"

"Gerard's a Templar though," Osmond pointed out.

"He also hates the Red Templars for abandoning the Chantry," Ford explained as he turned and walked away, before stopping and gazing back to say, "We'll also be getting a little help,"

"Who?"

"Captain Thamond's regiment,"

**Author's note:**

**Yay for making this as canon as possible. Next will be the mission that led to the capture of Crestwood, which will be followed by the canonical retaliation of the Red Templars in the Pax Prime 2013 DA:I demo.**

**On a different note, when taking into account of the last two chapters, how have I been at the portrayal of your characters? I know I haven't focused much on Heraclian and Gerard, but what about Naleen and Aniel? Would there be anything you'd want me to change? Did they react appropriately to the way you envisioned them? Let me know if you are one of the ones who submitted the characters in question.**


	7. Crestwood: Part 1

**Question? Would you guys appreciate a companion archive to this story where it contains the list of known Original Characters? Because as this story moves along, I'm still going to accept character submissions and this would hopefully help you guys keep track of them. Because I already got about a dozen and a half characters in my archive and Maker knows I already have a little difficulty keeping track of them all.**

**Also, as to the chapter itself, one of the characters speaks bilingually in her sentences. I'll be adding an elven-to-common guide at the bottom of the chapter for the words and phrases used. Also, the elven words will be **_**italicized.**_

**Chapter 3: Crestwood**

**Part 1: Departure and Arrival**

_Collins, Day 1, 6:01 AM, Skyhold Bailey_

It would be a long ride from Skyhold to Crestwood, five days to be exact. So everyone was ordered to pack appropriately for the journey ahead. The lad focused on his work setting up this horse's saddle until he finished. He then ran a double check on all his supplies, "Long sword, check, sleeping mat, check, flint stone, check, rations, check…"

Once Collins finished he heard a horse nay and turned his gaze to see Naleen struggling to put her saddle on her own horse, a Fereldan mare. The young elven mage cursed in what sounded like elvish until Collins walked up to her and offered his help.

"Oh… _ma serannas_," Naleen said as Collins readjusted the saddle.

"There we go," Collins announced once he finished, "Don't the Dalish have Horses to ride?"

"No, we have _Halla_, they're significantly more _Atisha_," Naleen explained, "and we don't ride them, we use them to pull the _aravels_,"

"What's that? Like a wagon?" Collins question.

"_Ar_ am not familiar with that word, but _Ar_ assume so," Collins noted the fact that Naleen seemed to use elvish words a lot, luckily he managed to deduce what she was saying for the most part.

"Well, let me know if you need any help," Collins assured, "My name is Collins by the way,"

"Naleen," the elf replied with a bow, the human and elf both parted to their respective mounts just as Captain Thamond and Lieutenant Ford road up to the front of the men gathered. Captain Thamond led a dozen plus half soldiers not counting himself, which brought the total travelling party to a large twenty seven strong.

Thamond himself was a professional soldier and leader through and through, as good at following orders as he is at giving them. Even though he officially outranked Ford, the two were to work as equals for the mission.

"Its three days from here to Crestwood!" The captain shouted, "So best make sure you packed well for the ride there and back! Now let's move out!"

V

_Hall, Day 3, 8:18 AM, Crestwood Lake_

"Did your archery match with Hall really last six hours?" Collins asked out of the blue as they continued on the road to Crestwood.

"Lasted six hours implies that the match was settled. It's just on hold until we get back from Crestwood," Aniel elaborated.

"And it's not an archery match when the other competitor isn't even a bowman," Hall added.

"My point is, if it's true, who did you two last so long?" Collins questioned further.

"One-upmanship, you'd be amazed how time flies by when you're trying to best someone," the elven bard explained as he twirled one of his many daggers between his fingers.

"What I don't get is how you managed to remain so accurate with your throwing knives," Hall questioned suspiciously.

"Hehe… just uniquely skilled is all," Aniel stated nervously, but Hall shrugged it off.

"Where we are!" Ford shouted form the front of the group as they reached over a hill and saw a large lake with a strange green energy coruscating from under its surface. Near the far side of the lake was a town with a fortress further down the ways.

With that the soldiers and agents of the Inquisition started setting up a campsite not too far off the path, but still secluded enough for them to avoid detection.

Shortly after they finished setting up, Ford and Thamond called everyone together.

"Okay, listen up," Thamond shouted to the men and women gathered, "We need to evaluate the situation right now, so we're going to be sending in some scouts to recon the town. So we need volunteers, no more than six,"

Hall watched as some of the soldiers and agents raised their hands or shouted out an offer to go along. Hall simply shrugged and raised his hand as well.

"Okay, Gerard, Aniel, McPherson, Hall, Collins, and Marks," Ford called out six names out of the volunteers, "You guys will recon the town and see what the situation is, question the townsfolk without giving us away, and watch out for Red Templars, do not enter the town with your Inquisition uniforms, weapons, or anything that can identify who you work for, now prepare and good luck"

V

_Madeline, Day 3, 8:22 AM, Crestwood Village_

"LOOK OUT!" Madeline shouted as she and Caedmon ran from the Templars. They soon lost them in the back alleys of Crestwood. Hiding behind some crates, the young teenager and her older companion took a minute to catch their breaths.

"We need to get out of here," The young girl stated as she looked around the corner to see Templars patrolling the street.

"I'll distract them, you make a break for it," Caedmon commanded as he stood up, the old mage moving towards the edge of the alley.

"NO, you can't!" Madeline shouted as she grabbed Caedmon's wrist to stop him. The mage turned around and put his hand on her shoulder.

"It's me they want, not you," he then kissed her on the top of the head, "I promised to protect you,"

"And I promised to look after you!" Madeline countered.

"This isn't a discussion," Caedmon stated firmly as he turned and ran out into the street.

"Hey, you want me you bucket heads? Then come get me!" Caedmon shouted as he cast a spell at one of the Templars before they could respond.

Madeline then reluctantly turned around to run, but as she rounded the corner she bumped into a Templar; who then grabbed her by her unruly black hair.

"Let me go-" Madeline stopped midsentence to having a knife held at her throat. She was then forcefully dragged to the main street where Caedmon was fighting the Templars.

"Stop now apostate!" the Templar holding Madeline shouted, "Or her throat gets cut open!"

Caedmon looked Madeline in the eye, then his irises turned red as his expression turned dark. In the blink of an eye he was standing before Madeline and the Templar, his throat slashed by demonic claws.


	8. Crestwood: Part 2

**I'm not particularly proud of this chapter, especially the beginning. Though I will like to thank you all for being patient. I now have the character list started, though it currently only has four characters in it so far.**

**Also, I am now opening villain submissions, I won't be taking many of them, so put them up fast. I'm basically looking for enemies, usually in a high ranking role of the factions outside the Inquisition, namely: the Venatori, the Red Templars, the Mage rebellion, the Qunari (Cause why not), the Antivan Crows, and the Avvar.**

**Name:**

**Race: (Red Templars and Avvar are only for humans. While the Qunari can have any race)**

**Class:**

**Faction:**

**Goal: what is the enemy trying to achieve?**

**Relations (Strictly optional): if you have submitted a character already, and you want this villain to know that character, please name the character and the relationship they have.**

**Description:**

**Personality:**

**For reasons as to not give spoilers, I will only be accepting them in Private Messaging, PLEASE DO NOT SUBMIT THEM IN THE REVIEWS! **

**Chapter 3: Crestwood**

**Part 2: Complications**

_Collins, Day 3, 8:24 AM, Crestwood Village_

"Help!" the Agents of the Inquisition heard a female voice shout as they entered the village. It wasn't long for them to find out where it was coming from. The sight before them was a group of Red Templar's taking on an individual with demonic claws.

"An abomination!" Gerard shouted as charged into the fray, picking up a dropped Templar sword as he did. The last of the Templars died before he could even get to the fight. The Ex-Templar took a swing at the abomination, but it caught the blade in his claw and grabbed him, throwing him across the street with a hard thud.

The rest of the Agents charged at the possessed mage, but was intercepted by a young girl with unruly black hair who put her arms out form either side of her to block them.

"Out of the way, that thing is dangerous!" Marks, one of Thamond's soldiers, and leader of the current group, shouted as he moved to shove the girl aside, but she dodged his hand and stood a little further back with her arms still outstretched.

"He was just protecting me!" the girl pleaded.

"And to do that he became an abomination, he's no longer your father!" Aniel stated as he produced a dagger from up his sleeve.

"He's not my Father," the girl pointed out, "But I can calm him down," with that the girl walked up to the fuming abomination and placed a hand on one of the creatures claws. Almost immediately the thing reverted back to a human.

Immediately after, Gerard charged at the former abomination, but Marks intervened and stopped the former Templar, "Explain yourselves,"

The man soon fainted from exhaustion. And the girl was by his side in an instant.

"Please don't hurt us," The girl pleaded, "We merely want to get by,"

"Like I'd allow an abomination to run free!" Gerard shouted as he made a move to kill the mage, but Marks stopped him.

"Collins, McPherson!" Marks ordered the agent and the soldier, "Get the mage and the girl to our camp. Hall keep an eye on the road leading out of town and alert us to any Templars coming. Aniel keep an eye on Gerard while he cools off,"

"You'll putting me under guard instead of the Abomination!" he shouted.

"Make no mistake, I'm watching him too, but you're out of control right now," Marks stated dismissively as he went to oversee everyone else.

Collins and McPherson picked up the mage as the soldier said, "You'd better be worth it kid,"

"Name's Madeline," The girl introduced herself, "and I thank you for assisting us,"

V

_Madeline, Day 3, 8:51 AM, Inquisition Camp_

Madeline had spoken a little too soon.

The people that helped them had tied up Caedmon for safety reasons and brought them to their camp which held nearly thirty by her count. She met a kind elven mage in a white robe who tended to her wounds, none of which were major, but it helped to no longer feel sore. The young girl remembered the elf giving a nervous look to Caedmon. Possibly sensing the demon of wrath within him.

'Ugh' Madeline looked to Caedmon as he stirred a bit in his unconscious state, but soon went calm again. It was probably the best sleep he's had in months.

V

_Ford, Day 3, 8:51 AM, Inquisition Camp_

"You're tell me, that the Red Templars are likely to have been alerted to our presence, for the sake of one apostate and a little girl?!" Ford all but shouted at Collins and McPherson after they conveyed their report of what happened in Crestwood.

"The Red Templars are most likely unaware of the slaughtered patrol at the moment, but when they don't report back in, or a witness from the village tattles, we're most likely to have our presence made aware to them," McPherson reasoned as Ford rubbed his temples in frustration.

Thamond dismissed Collins and McPherson from the war pavilion, leaving the two leaders of the operation alone in the tent with Osmond and Sergeant Poole, the second-in-commands of Ford and Thamond respectively.

"Either way ya see it, the Red Templars will be aware that somethin be off by noon," Osmond reasoned.

"Charleston!" Thamond shouted to one of the soldiers tasked with guarding the pavilion, who quickly entered before saluting the Captain and Lieutenant, "Find whoever has a map of the area, I know we packed it before leaving,"

Charleston crisply bowed his head in response before exiting the tent. Thamond then looked to the three other officers gathered, "I'm opened to any and all options,"

"We still got Marks, Aniel, Gerard, and Hall at Crestwood Village," Sergeant Poole stated, "Perhaps we send in more soldiers and agents to protect the town,"

"That ill most likely alert the Red Templars more quickly," Osmond countered, "We can't risk accelerating their movements before we're properly ready,"

"Osmond is right, we may still have the element of surprise, but that chance shortens with every minute, we can't risk giving ourselves away just yet," Thamond pointed out just as Charleston retuned with some scrolls and laid them out on the war table in the middle of the Pavilion. The soldier saluted before exiting.

Ford unfurled the scrolls to see a map of the lake and the surrounding lands, "There," Ford pointed at the fortress, "There are two parallel roads running from the fortress to Crestwood, one on the shoreline, and another further inland, the two roads being separated by these jagged stone outcroppings,"

"So they can pincer the village when they attack," Poole pointed out, "That's not very encouraging,"

"Hmm," Thamond wondered as he looked at the map, "How difficult would it be to traverse the outcroppings?"

V

_Knight-Captain Payne, Day 3, 9:29 AM, Crestwood Fortress_

The leader of the Red Templars stationed in Crestwood was an imposing man, with long black hair pulled back in a ponytail and dark eyes glaring emotionlessly into the burning fireplace in his study, a red crystal that seemed to radiate energy in his hand. He was a cold, calculating leader that knew full well the effects of Red Lyrium, and as such didn't take as much as some of his soldiers who lost their minds, he only ever took enough to sate his addiction.

"Sir," The Knight-Captain turned away from the fireplace to see one of his lieutenants enter the study with a small commoner's boy from Crestwood Village held by his bicep, "This boy has news about the Village, Go ahead tell him what you told me,"

The boy hesitantly stepped forward as he said, "I saw an abomination kill you troop's sir, then was taken away by some men, don't know who they were sir, but I heard one of them say something about a camp, sir,"

_**Author's Note:**_

**Thanks for the patience in waiting for the next chapter.**


	9. Crestwood: Part 3

**Sorry for the long wait, I've been stuck on my three major stories and have only just got back on track. I'm not proud of this chapter, as it doesn't advance much in the plot department, but it does expand on some of the Character's backstories, which I think is a decent trade off.**

**Chapter 3: Crestwood**

**Part 3: Scouting the Present, Questioning the Past**

_Hall, Day 3, 12:01 PM, Crestwood Village_

Hall was always nervous around villages. It wasn't that he hated them or anything, nor was he even nervous about the villages in of themselves. It was the memories that they always summoned up. The sound of people conversing, the trot of horses, the laughter of people from the local tavern, the clank of hammer on metal emanating from within the smithy. This all brought back bittersweet memories of a childhood robbed.

"Hall," The Archer was drawn from his reverie by Aniel, who now stood next to him on one of the watchtowers situated along the timber wall that surrounded the Village, "Lost in thought?"

"Yea," Hall replied in response.

"What were you thinking about?" The elf questioned further.

"Nothing important," The archer said as he walked away from his post. It was time to report to Ford, who was now in the Village along with half the soldiers of the Inquisition.

Hall and Aniel walked in companionable silence as they made their way to the Tavern, which the Inquisition had appropriated as their Base of Operations. Once they entered they walked into an argument between Lieutenant Ford and the village mayor.

"I won't risk the town's safety to harbor your soldiers, the Templars have been completely fine in their mission to defend the local area form those apostates," The mayor, an old, thin man that still held a sense of authority in his stature, shouted at Ford.

"These aren't normal Templars sir, these are Red Templars, and they're all half crazed and would happily see this town burned to ashes just to get one apostate," Ford reasoned with the deeply religious man.

"Red, blue, tangerine, they're Templars, they have a holy duty to fulfill in making sure all whom The Maker condemns be punished, and to protect those whom are innocent, and it is known you are harboring a known abomination in your midst," he then looked to Naleen, "Among other heretics, for which The Maker shall condemn you," the old man pointed out forcefully.

"I'm not here to argue faith," Ford pointed out exhaustedly, "I'm here to stop the Red Templars, whom have broken their vows and defected from the Chantry,"

The mayor huffed in response before turning on his heels and stormed out of the tavern. Hall watched as Ford rubbed his forehead before noticing everyone had stopped their duties to listen to the argument, "Get back to work!"

Everyone resumed their work as told so. Hall and Aniel walked up to their Lieutenant, "Sir, no sign of the Red Templars,"

"Good, Hall, go join the others, I imagine they'll need your eyes," Ford then turned to Aniel, "And you go with Osmond and bolster the defense at the southern entrance,"

Hall and Aniel saluted and left.

V

_Saareba, Day 3, 12:10 PM, Outskirts of Crestwood_

The Qunari mage waited among the others led by Thamond, hiding within the tall stone outcroppings, waiting to ambush any Red Templars that matched down the shore road. she was among Thamond's archers, whom where all quite skill with a bow, she was the only mage with them, as Naleen as it turns out, is a pacifist and serves mostly as a healer, and her skills as such were better served back at base.

Saareba had to admit, it was a smart plan. While the outcroppings where hard to stand on, it provided ample cover and a superior elevation for a sense of awareness on the road and anyone traveling on it.

"I miss anything?" Hall asked as he climbed up to a spot besides the Qunari.

"No, nothing yet," Saareba replied back, "And I wouldn't call that a good thing exactly,"

"How so?"

"Perhaps they know of our plan," Saareba reasoned as Hall got situated beside her.

"You would think that they would send out a search party or something to find the missing patrol," Hall said in agreement, "why haven't they yet?"

V

_Collins, Day 3, 12:11 PM, Crestwood Tavern_

The lad had been placed on guard duty. Not that he hated it or anything, he'd just rather be out on the front lines fighting the Red Templars. He looked to the two under guard, Madeline and Caedmon. Madeline seemed to be half a decade his younger. She was currently looking around the room for no apparent reason, but Collins did realize the look in her eyes; she was looking for ways to escape.

At least Caedmon was still unconscious; but the agent was still wary of the mage. The image of those demon claws shredding through Templar steel and flesh like a razor through butter still fresh in his mind.

"When did it happen to him?" Collins asked Madeline, who turned her attention from the room to him, but she said nothing, "From the way you handled the situation, I reckon he's been an abomination a long time,"

Madeline took a deep breath and said, "Since the day I met him,"

"It was the day of the Kirkwall Revolt, when the Knight-Commander invoked the Writ of Annulment. I remember the choke of the fire smoke, the scent of blood and seared flesh. My mother and I were trying to avoid the crossfire. But we ran into a mage fighting Templars and my mother tried to intervene and protect the mage. But they cut her down without hesitation. I ran to my mother's aid, and I remember one of the Templars say they should deal with me too. The mage suddenly burned in dark red fire, and his fingers became claws and shredded the Templars apart. There was so much blood and gore, I screamed and covered my eyes, and then it all stopped,"

Collins nodded his head for her to continue.

"I looked up from my mother's corpse and saw the creature approaching, murder in its red eyes, I pleaded for him to stop… and he did. I don't know if the demon inside of him got exhausted or if he fought it at the sight of me. But when it did, I saw only a broken man before me," Madeline looked to her friend, who was still unconscious, "He protects me, and I maintain his sanity,"

"Collins?" The agent turned his attention from Madeline to see Ford standing at the door, "I need your help with something,"

"On my way sir," Collins replied, "Who's to watch-

"Don't worry about that, Naleen will take care of them," Ford interrupted as he beckoned Collins over, "I need you to help with the northern defense,"

"Understood sir," Collins complied as he made his way towards the village's northern entrance. Along the way he passed Naleen, who whispered something in her language to him, "_Dareth Lethallin,"_

Collins turned to ask what it meant, but he saw her exit into the next room before he could.

**Author's Note:**

**Dareth Lethallin = Be safe friend**


End file.
